Arizona Tribune - 'People want change': inside Romania's far-right stronghold

"People are saying 'Stop', they want change," Gavrila said at his bar, diagnosing the mood heading into a run-off Sunday that is being closely watched for a change in political direction in the EU and NATO member, which borders Ukraine.

"The parties in power for so many years have deceived and fooled us," said the 43-year-old, a member of the extreme-right SOS Romania party, which entered parliament following legislative elections last Sunday.

In Mihai Viteazu, SOS Romania and two other far-right parties combined won nearly 65 percent of the parliamentary vote, the country's highest score.

Georgescu also got one of his best results in the village of 3,000 people in the first-round vote on November 24, topping the constituency with 45.5 percent of the vote, compared to almost 23 percent nationwide.

Georgescu will face centrist Elena Lasconi in Sunday's run-off.

Liberal mayor Adrian Costache said Georgescu's landslide win in his village came as a "surprise" to him.

"People want to see if others are more capable in developing the country", which ranks among the poorest in the European Union, he told AFP.

- 'Capable man to lead us' -

Mihai Filip, a 55-year-old salesman, told AFP he voted for Georgescu after following him on platforms such as TikTok for the past two months.

With his slogan "Romania first" echoing Donald Trump's, Georgescu produced a wave of viral content on social media around issues such as his call for an end to aid for Ukraine.

Romanian authorities alleged Georgescu was granted "preferential treatment" by TikTok ahead of the first-round vote, with his videos viewed millions of times -- an accusation the social network has denied.

"Georgescu cares about the Romanian people first and foremost. He does not care about Russia," Filip said.

"Everything in our country is expensive, while wages are still low," he added.

While expressing worries that electing the pro-European small-town mayor Lasconi would usher in pro-LGBTQ policies, it was Georgescu's "Christian faith" that caught Filip's attention.

"She will pass a law on marriage between two men, I cannot accept such a thing," he alleged, adding that Romania was in need of "a capable man to lead us", not "a woman".

During her campaign, Lasconi said she was in favour of same-sex civil partnerships, but has never come out in favour of same-sex marriage.

- Protest vote -

Georgescu "taps into a rather conservative and traditional discourse that permeates Romanian society," political scientist Marius Ghincea told AFP.

He also represents a protest vote for those disillusioned with the establishment, he added.

Russia's war in neighbouring Ukraine does not appear to be a main concern for the voters in Mihai Viteazu, which is less than 100 kilometres (60 miles) from the border and located in the Constanta region that is home to a NATO air base.

Georgescu, a critic of NATO and a past admirer of Russian leader Vladimir Putin, fervently campaigned for an end to aid for Kyiv, raising fears in Brussels and Washington.

Marian Popa Romel, a construction worker, said he had heard a lot about Georgescu recently, including that "he's with the Russians, that he's taking us out of NATO, out of the EU".

"But I'm still going with him, because he's a man," the 56-year-old said.

Daniel Panait, 21, said he would cast his vote for Georgescu, mainly out of discontent with current politicians.

"Nothing has been done in this country, and especially in this village. We have no sewage," he told AFP.

Bar owner Gavrila, who also runs a car wash, has already made his choice, and hopes for Georgescu to win.

"Why don't we try to see how this man does?" he said, while glancing at the election coverage on TV.

P.A.Mendoza--AT